Pledging Florida More Help, Clinton Offers Hope on Base

By RICHARD L. BERKE,

Published: March 14, 1993

WASHINGTON, March 13—
Seeking to head off an outcry from South Florida over proposed closings of military bases, President Clinton said today that he would intensify efforts to aid communities that were devastated by Hurricane Andrew, including keeping the Homestead Air Force Base operating on a reduced scale.

But he was less hopeful for Connecticut, saying for the first time that it was an "open question" whether he could ultimately support construction of another Seawolf attack submarine. He had promised to support the program in last year's campaign.

Now, Mr. Clinton said, the future of the Seawolf would be decided in the Administration's budget negotiations with Congress. "I haven't changed my position on it," he said. "But I cannot tell you it's a lock-cinch deal because of what's happened -- because this is sort of a wild card for us. And because I'm obviously involved with the Congress now in trying to work through this."

The President, who has met infrequently with reporters since taking office, today summoned groups of journalists from South Florida, California and Connecticut to the White House. Those states face the loss of thousands of jobs from the proposed base closings announced by the Pentagon on Friday. Plea for Support

The meetings were part of an intense public relations effort by Mr. Clinton for his plan to convert military installations to civilian uses while reassuring the public that he would create jobs to cushion the losses. That was also the message today in the President's weekly radio address, when he called on Americans to support the spending cuts in his economic package.

"In the days ahead," Mr. Clinton said, "you will hear a great debate in Congress about this plan. Some will say, 'Don't cut anything.' Some will say, 'Don't invest in anything.' But what many of them are really saying is, 'Don't change anything,' because failing to invest and failing to reduce the deficit means failing to change the status quo."

Mr. Clinton told the reporters from South Florida that he would release up to $2 billion in Federal money for the long-term rebuilding of the Dade County area, which was hit hard by the hurricane last August.

"Essential services were wiped out," the President said, "and although six months later, basic services have been restored, the progress toward redevelopment has been minimal." New Uses for Homestead

Included in Mr. Clinton's plan is money to repair the runway and control tower at the Homestead base, even though it is one of the bases scheduled to close. Mr. Clinton had made a campaign promise to rebuild the base, and said it could be used by reserve forces, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Coast Guard and perhaps other uses.

As for Connecticut, Mr. Clinton had pledged during the campaign to continue the Seawolf, which is built in Groton, Conn., after President George Bush had canceled contracts for the attack submarine. Mr. Clinton's pledge was criticized by his opponent, former Senator Paul E. Tsongas of Massachusetts, who said that the ship had outlived its usefulness because of the diminished threat from Russia. He had accused Mr. Clinton of backing the Seawolf to gain support in Connecticut.

But Mr. Clinton today denied having political motives. "It didn't have much to do with the Connecticut primary," he said. "I didn't even know if I would be politically alive in November and December when were were trying to evaluate these decisions."

Mr. Clinton also denied to the California reporters that politics played any role in the Pentagon's decision to keep two California military installations off the list of proposed closings.

Mr. Clinton also denied to the California reporters that politics played any role in the Pentagon's decision to keep two California military installations off the list of proposed closings.

Mr. Clinton said that the Defense Secretary, Les Aspin, deleted McClellan Air Force Base, near Sacramento, and the Monterey Presidio, from the original list not to please Democratic lawmakers from the districts but "because he thought the aggregate economic impact was still too great -- the Bay area still takes a great hit."

Mr. Clinton repeatedly emphasized that final decisions about which bases to close had not been made. "I'm open to any arguments anybody wants to make," Mr. Clinton said. "And I think the base commission will be, too."